Your website’s TTFB (time to first byte) speed and your search engine results…
The page load speed for SEO purposes is a [slightly) overblown Myth! – Noted by some of the best SEO experts whom test all the time… Get ready for this… “Page load times does ‘not’ necessarily affect your organic SERPs listings!” And after testing it for myself it hasn’t effected my clients SERP positioning whatsoever.
However, if your website is super slow to load – eg. it best load within a few seconds in any case – it will affect your organic positioning. BUT what’s even more important is a less talked about consideration called: TTFB.
So, what’s all the hype about website page loading slow and messing with my search results? Albeit many WordPress themes need to continue their work on minifying java/css load scripts. The truth is, you must be aware of your TTFB = ‘Time To First Byte’ and not necessarily just your page load times. Now, of course you don’t want your webpages to load super slow, but…
This may come as a shock yet dig this, at of the time of this posting, your primary interest is to get a fast response ‘ping’ from the point (time) that someones looks for your site and the time your server takes to initially respond back (its ‘first byte’).
You’ll want a TTFB speed of about 200 milliseconds or 1000/ of 1 second. In any case get your TTFB down to under a second and you won’t have to worry about page load speeds to secure your organic relevancy listings.
Of course, you’ll want to reduce your page bulk-ware (eg., proper image size compression, caching, et. al.) but if you can shorten your TTFB then you’ll generally be able to breath a little easier…
More on general and helpful website loading speed tips below, but first let’s talk about…
How to Reduce TTFB to Improve WordPress Page Load Times
Test your TTFB here:
http://www.bytecheck.com/
Also use this Google Speed Page Insights tool.
Although Page Speed Insights is a Google product, it happens to be the least informative tool so far…
In order to assist with better overall speed results use these (next) two services to determine a more in depth page load criteria… as these will give you a better waterfall (criterion) for assessing latency issues.
Find pertinent citation for assistance for speeding up your TTFB go here:
http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/16081-time-to-first-byte-seo.html
We’ve additionally found another article by Kinsta that will provide you with some further insights regarding this subject matter…
Now, let’s go ahead and talk about…
Website Load Speed Tips Using WordPress
I’m recommending a couple of websites that will assist with your resolve to speed up the load times of your website, along with the above mentioned tips for TTFB speed.
Still using the GT Metrix testing platform as your guideline for A/B split testing your speeds, also apply these two suggestions.
My first website for load speed tip suggestion is from a WordPress Theme (DIVI) chat group that provides a comprehensive discussion pertaining to this subject. Keep in mind that these site load speed suggestions will work for most any Theme you’re using on a WordPress platform, it just so happens they are talking specifically about the DIVI (Elegant Themes) builder.
The other website I’d suggest you using for your website load time speed tips is from a good friend of mine, Stephanie Hudson of Sweat Tea. She is a website developer that has spent a lot of time and experimented with many site speed plugins and has found some cool insights for your consideration.
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Happy Marketing!
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